Climate action meets labour rights: key ESG challenges across industries

Is product carbon footprinting possible at scale? Insights from Systembolaget

Article by Sustainable Wine

In this Sustainable Wine Roundtable Member Interview podcast, I’m joined by Gad Pettersson, head of sustainability and product quality at Systembolaget. As part of its ambitious decarbonisation plans, the Swedish alcohol monopoly is leading a Product Carbon Footprint (PCF) initiative. The aim is to be able to measure, compare, and ultimately reduce the climate impact across its full product range.

Zimbabwe: Gold mine faces legal action for forcing female workers to undergo HIV tests before dismissing them

Article by Business and Human Rights Centre

The management of a Chinese-owned gold mine in Zimbabwe is facing legal action from the union after subjecting female workers to mandatory HIV testing before summarily dismissing them. The union describes the management’s actions as a flagrant breach of national laws on privacy, equality and non-discrimination.

UK fashion failings in ethical trade

Article by Green Business Journal

One-third of UK fashion retailers do not publish ethical sourcing data. Approximately 33% (five out of 15) of UK fashion retailers do not publish any ethical sourcing data in their Annual Report, their sustainability report, or elsewhere on their website.

South Asia: Global fashion brands’ textile recycling schemes linked to labour rights risks in India and Pakistan; ARISA findings

Article by Business and Human Rights Centre

ARISA’s report examines how leading global fashion brands’ growing reliance on textile recycling and circularity initiatives has failed to address, and in some cases obscured, serious labour rights risks faced by workers in recycling facilities in India and Pakistan. While brands increasingly promote recycled fibres and take-back schemes as evidence of sustainability, the research finds that recycling operations remain largely excluded from brands’ human rights due diligence processes.

Responsible Sourcing Scheme launches new website following Garden Press Event reveal

Article by Hort News

The Responsible Sourcing Scheme (RSS) has officially launched its new website, recently unveiled at the Garden Press Event. The refreshed platform, available at www.responsiblesourcing.org.uk, has been designed to offer clearer navigation, improved transparency and expanded background information about how the scheme operates across the growing media supply chain.